Twice as Nice: Consequences by Aleatha Romig
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Consequences by Aleatha Romig
Thriller
Aleatha Romig (August 3, 2011)
Rating: A-
Heat: Warm (some is not consensual)
Heroine: Claire Nichols – Meteorologist, Captive
Hero: Anthony Rawlings – Billionaire Businessman, Captor
Setting: Iowa, USA
Review:
Please hold one moment while I go scream into a pillow to release this pent up anger I am now feeling toward Anthony Rawlings...
Okay. Much better. So. Normally, I would start with a rehashing of the plot in my own words. I’m going to try, but I really don’t think I can do that with this one. My mind is way too focused on the characters and the craziness I just experienced. But, if I had to break this story down, in the beginning I would have said it is the story of automaton Anthony Rawlings and his extreme and often brutal methods employed to mold Claire Nichols into the Stepford wife of his dreams. It is that and yet so, so much more than that... And when you read it, you’ll see exactly what I mean.
Because even though it is a kidnapping slash captive/captor story—of which I’ve read quite a few that leave nothing to the imagination—in Consequences, the violence is never revealed in great detail. Which does make it is less... gruesome… but somehow no less terrifying. The actual breaking down of Claire, initially, is off-screen. We know she is brutalized and forced to do things against her will, but it happens in a ‘fade to black’ kind of way. We do see the aftereffects—Claire’s behavioral and mental changes. And it’s the mental aspect, how thoroughly brain washed Claire is... that was hard to stomach.
For the sake of no spoilers, I really don’t want to say much else. But I will say that I put some hints and clues together and by halfway I was sure I was correct... about where things were going to go… and yet, the truth still hit me hard. Instantly turned my stomach sour. I was afraid that my over-active brain may have ruined the story for me, but Miz Romig did such a fantastic job with the last 20% of this tale. Even though I knew, it was so much more than just that.
Which has now brought my emotions and focus back around to Anthony Rawlings.
Anthony Rawlings, you are a manipulative bastard. What the hell is wrong with you? I mean, really. Just when I’d start to think I see some redeeming quality, when I’d begin to feel an inkling of like—you go and really out do yourself. I tried, so hard, to like Anthony. He is so obviously a product of unfortunate history and upbringing, but… Just but. No excuses. No sugar coating it. The man is messed up.
And yet I seemed to suffer from the same occasional goodwill toward him that Claire felt. Maybe he was Stockholm Syndrome-ing me through the pages because my emotions were all over the place with him. I wanted to see a glimmer of something good... but in the end, I wanted to punch him in the face. Lay a real haymaker on him. I've never been incited to such anger over a fictitious character quite like Anthony incites. Any compassion I felt for him... gone. Poof.
What he does to Claire… No words. It was hard, at times, to understand why she’d stay with him or why she thought she loved him. But where would she go? Who would believe her? And if I felt inklings of compassion or understanding for Anthony, well, I can only expect Claire would feel that and so much more. And yet it still wasn’t easy to see her change. Become who Anthony wanted.
Consequences is quite the mind-boggler. It will send your emotions from one extreme to another. It will exhaust you and tick you off. You may even develop a tick in your left eye or loose your voice from the constant growling and strangled screaming that Anthony inspires. And, while there were parts that seemed to slow down, passages that felt a tad bogged down by unnecessary description, it was all worth it.
And now I’m really looking forward to the next installment! Oh, how I hope that S.O.B. reaps his own consequences in Truth. Yeah, this diehard HEA-lover wants blood instead of romance as part of Claire’s happily ever after.
Favorite Quote:
Are you completely crazy or only unstable. She didn’t know how she could be feeling this way about him. After all, he kidnapped her. He hurt her, but when he was good… Claire tried to remember, there was a song or something that said: when he is good, he is so good—and that summed it up.
Thoughts While Reading:
6.0% - "OMG Anthony is sorely in need of someone in his life who will tell him NO."
40.0% - "Jesus H, Tony."
53.0% - "I've got a bad feeling about all this..."
88.0% - "No, no, no. Claire... :-\"
100.0% - "#$&!?#$ Mother of pearl!"
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